Car-uncoupling mechanism



Aug. 2, 1927.

H. F. FINNEY ET AL CAR UNCOUPLING MECHANISM Fi led Nov. 4. 1922 ,Zhuenara;

Patented Aug. 2, 192 7.

HARRY r. FINNEY, or CHICAGO, ILLInoIs, AND rnAno s A; moons, or W RREN,

OHIO, 'ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To CHICAGO-CLEVELAND can noon I 1 ING GOMPANY,OF CHICAGO, ILLInoIs;

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

GAR-UNCOUPLING MECHANISM.

Application filed. November 4, 1922. Serial No. 598,998.

The invention relates to a link construction for use with the uncoupling mechanism and knuckle lock of .car' couplings, and has for its object to provide a secure connection of this character, which permits of some relative vertical movement of the uncoupling lever, or equivalent element, and the knuckle lock towards and from each other, at the same time acting to prevent any twistingor partial rotation of the link elements on their longitudinal aXes,and consequently prevent any accilental= separation of the link elemerits-from each other; theconstructionbeing such that the links may be readily assem-' bled or disassembled by the aid of such a relativetwisting or rotarymoven'ient. It is a further object to simplify the connection of the link elements with the uncoupling lever and knuckle lock so that the link elements can be readily assembled with said lever and lock, the construction at the sametnne being such that" when so assembled the lever and lock will prevent said accidental twisting or rotating of the link elements.

lVith' such objects in view, as well as other advantages which may be incident to thense of the improvements, the invention consists in the parts and. combinations thereof hereinafter setforth and claimed, with the, un-

ments constituting the same may be varied in proportions and arrangement wltl out departing fromthe nature andvscope of the,

device, and an" uncoupling lever construetion embodying-the invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation on a larger scale showing the improved link construction, 0 viewed in a horizontal and diagonal dlrection.

Fig. 3 is a similar View of the same'viewedin a direction at about ninety degrees to the direction in which Fig. 2 is viewed;

derstanding that the several necessaryele are SllO-Wll in the H-CCOHP Referring to the drawings 11 indicates the draw bar coupling head, 2 the knuckle lock thereon, and 3 the shaft whereby the knuckle lock is to be manipulated. "This shaft extends transversely on the end of the car body 4 and is mounted in bearingsfi and 6 there-,-

on, and is rocked as may be desired bythe hand crank 7.. The inner end of this shaft 1s PIOVlClGCl' with a crank arm 8 which is connected withthe knuckle lock by a" link c0nne'ction A. Our invention consists in the constrnctlon of thls llnk connection, whereby the necessary lOSt-IHOlZlOD or looseness is provided between the knuckle lock and the ,crankarm which operates said connection,

and whereby the crank arm knucklellock and links may be conveniently assembled, and

whereby, when-assembled, they; cannot become accidentally disengaged; In this respect our improvement-eliminates all necessityfo'r bending or deforming the link elements, or their parts, for engagement or disengagement or security.

The link connection A comprises an upper link 9 and/lower link 10, which may %beinterengaged with'each other as shown and are provided with vertically extendingslots or openingsill whereby the knucklelock may have vertical motion relative to said crank arm, and vice versa. The upper link is formed witha stop or'head 12 which is adapted to engagexone side of the crank arm'and':w1th a laterally extending element orneck 13 which "extendstransversely I through an eyeor aperture 1410f said arm.

Thence the said 'upper link is bent down ward and then upwardxsov as to form the said slot or opening 11, and terminates in an end 15 which is transversely disposed to prevent accidental disengagement from the other link and is offset from' the body of the link transverse element or neck 17 which is adapted to pass through and restv in'the aperture of the look, from which-point the link is bent upward and isintereng'agedwith the upper link, as shown, and thence' down-' ward so as to form the slot oropemng '11,and l terminates in the end'1 9 which istransve'rsesufiiciently to] enable theupper link to be.

assembledwvith the crank arm by passing" said end through the aperture 14 of the latter.

The'lower link is formed with a stop or'- ly disposed so as to prevent any disengagement of said upper and lower links unless one or both of them be twisted or partially rotated. This endlt) is offset from the bottom of the lowerlink so thatsaid end can be passed through the eye of the knuckle lock;

Thelinks are so shaped that they can eas ily interlock one with the other if either link be twistedcfor ninety degrees or thereabouts on its longitudinal axis, but the construction is such that they cannot be sepa rated if they are held from said twisting movement. It will be observed that the'crank armholdsthelupper link from such move:

I gagement in the head of the drawbar.

Therefore our link'conuection is perfectly secure after the parts have been assembled as above described.

In assembling the parts the upper link 9 is threaded through the eye of the lever 8 until stopped by the head 12, and the lower link-1O is threaded through the eye of the knuckle lock, until arrested by the stop or head 16, and then the links are inter-hooked with each other, and finally the lever- 8 is placed in proper position on the brackets 5 and 6. The parts are then ready for secure operation. a 1

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be underrangement of the parts without departing ood from the foregoing description, and will be apparent that various changes may ise'made in the form, construction and arfrom the spirit and scope of theinvention or sacrificing all of its material advantages,

theform hereinbefore described being mere- ;anism with the knuckle lock, comprising up- 1y a preferred embodiment thereof.

WVhat is claimed is 1. A link connection for uncoupling lever constructions, for uniting the lifting mechper and lower links interengaged with each other with a looseness which permits relative movement; of the links both towards-each other, said links being of heat rod of like size Land engageable with anddisengageable from each other byatwisting movement of a link,

the upper and lower ends of said links re-i Vspectively having laterally extending stop elements ,for engagement with the lifting leverand the knuckle lock, and whereby they are maintained in said engagement, and after assembly ofthe parts the said links being held by said laterally extending elements from twisting movement and from disein gagement from each other by the engage ment therewith of the lifting lever and the knuckle lock.

2. A link connection foruncoupling lever constructions, for uniting the lifting mechanism with the knuckle lock, comprising up per andlower links interengaged with each other with a looseness which permits relative movement of the links both towards each other, said links being of bent rod of like size and engageable with and disengageable from each other by a twistingmovement of" a link, the upper and lower ends of said links respectively havlng laterally extending necks for engagement in the eyes of the lifting 7 lever and of the knuckle lock, and having beyond said necks stop means for maintainmg said engagement, the other ends of said links being insertable through said eyes until theirnecks are engaged as described, and after assembly ofthe parts the said links being held from twisting movement and from disengagement from each other by the engagement of the lifting lever and the knuckle lock with said neck; of the links.

3. A link connection for uncoupling'lever' constructions, for uniting thelifting mechanism with the knuckle lock, comprising upl per and lower links interengaged with each other with a looseness which permits relative movement of the links towards each.

other, said links being engageable with and disengageable from each other by a twisting movement of a link, the upper and' lower ends of said links respectively having laterally extending necks for engagement in the eyes of the lifting lever and of the knuckle lock, and having beyond said necks enlarged heads for maintaining said engagement, the other ends of said links being m-J sortable through said eyesuntil their necks are engaged as described, and after assem-, bly of the parts the said linksbeing held from twisting movement and from disengagement from each other by the engage mentof the lifting lever and the knuckle} lock with said necks of the links.

.4. The combination withthe knuckle and lifting means of an uncoupling-lever comprising upper and lower links interengaged with each other with a; looseness which permits relative movement of the lmks towardseach other, said links being engage; able with and disengageablekfrom each other,

mg the lifting means with the knucklelock,

construction, of a link construction for unit lli by a twisting movement of a link, the upperj and lower ends ofsaid links respectively having late-rally extending necksfor engage-1 ment In thee-yes of the lifting means and of and having beyond said the knuckle lock,

necks means for maintaining said, engagement, the other ends of said linksbeing in; sortable through said eyes until their necks are engaged as described, and after assembly of the parts the said links being held from twisting movement and from disengagement from each other by the engagement of the lifting lever and the knuckle lock with said necks oi the links.

5. In an uncoupling mechanism "for car couplers, the combination with a coupler lock device and means for lifting the latter, of a plurality of loosely connected links forming a lost motion connection between said lock device and lifting means, the lock device and lifting means each having an eye for receiving a portion of the link adjacent thereto, the said portion of each of the links being formed as a lateral extension terminating in an enlargement, the enlargement of each of the links being disposed 'on opposite sides of a line connecting the lock device and lifting means.

6. In an uncoupling lever construction for railway cars, the combination with the knuckle lock of a car coupler and lifting means for said lock, of a pair of telescoping links loosely engaged with each other, each of said links having sldewise extensions whose ends are enlarged lnto knobs for loose engagement respectively with the hita ing means and with the knuckle lock.

7.. In an uncoupling mechanism for car portion o1 an adjacent couplers, the combination with the coupler lock device and means for lifting the latter, of a plurality of telescoping links, each of said links having an eye adapted to receive a link, said links being det-achably connected to each other and to said lock device and lifting means, said links being adapted to be disengaged by a relative movement with respect to each other and each being provided with a transversely extending portion forming a stop for limiting telescoping movement of the links.

8. In an uncoupling mechanism for car couplers, the combination with a coupler lock device provided with an eye and an uncoupling lever provided With an eye, of a lost motion connection detachably connecting said lock device and uncoupling lever, said connection involving a plurality of detachable telescoping links, each or said links having an extension which when in assembled position enters a corresponding one of said eyes, and the extension of each of said links being provided with an enlargement-for preventing the link when in normal operative posltion trom belng disassoclated from the part to which it is connected.

HARRY F. FINNEY. FRANCIS A, JACOBS. 

